Taliban's New Restrictions on Women: Afghan Women Use Social Media to Oppose Harsh New Laws

Written by Stefan van der Berg

Women in Afghanistan and abroad are harnessing the power of social media platforms by posting videos of themselves singing in protest of new restrictive laws to ‘conceal’ their voices. As of August 15, 2024, a government spokesman announced that these laws, approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, require women to cover their bodies and faces entirely and prohibit them from speaking, singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public.

The United Nations has urgently called for the repeal of these oppressive measures, while Taliban officials insist, they are necessary to 'promote virtue and prevent vice.'

The Impact on Women's Rights

These oppressive laws mark a significant setback for women's rights in Afghanistan. Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban has systematically eroded women's freedoms, including barring girls over 12 from attending school and university. The current restrictions further marginalize women, erasing their presence and contributions to society.

The Taliban justifies these measures as stemming from their strict interpretation of Islamic law. Critics argue that this interpretation is a distortion used to oppress women and maintain control. These laws have stripped Afghan women of their fundamental rights, rendering them voiceless and marginalized in their own country.

Digital Defiance: Women's Online Resistance

Despite these repressive regulations, Afghan women are refusing to be silenced. They are utilizing social media platforms to share their stories, raise awareness, and draw global attention to their plight. From Instagram to Twitter, these digital spaces serve as arenas of resistance where women courageously express themselves, even when silenced in public.

Social media has also fostered solidarity among Afghan women both within the country and in the diaspora. Organizations and activists worldwide are taking notice and amplifying these voices through reposts, interviews, and collaborations.

The Future of Women's Rights in Afghanistan

The future of women's rights in Afghanistan remains uncertain. However, Afghan women have shown remarkable resilience and courage in their resistance against oppression.

Their continued use of social media and other platforms demonstrates their determination to fight for their rights and be heard.

A Christian Perspective

Afghanistan is number 10 on the Open Doors World Watch List that annually lists the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution.

In Afghanistan religious minorities like Christians endure intense governmental and societal pressure and scrutiny. They face regular raids on their homes by the Taliban, frequently receive threats against their jobs and families, and lack access to educational opportunities.

If an Afghan’s Christian faith is discovered, it can be a death sentence, or they can be detained and tortured into giving information about fellow believers. This means that Christians – almost all of whom are converts from Islam – must keep their faith secret, or they may simply disappear.

Despite these restrictions there are still Christians in Afghanistan! We might look at their hardship and think, “They should have left.” Perhaps to come to the West or at least to a more stable, less radical Islamic country nearby.

But many Christians believe that God has placed them there to be light and salt in Afghanistan and they require and depend on our prayers.